


Oscilate: Alternative

by xxELF21xx



Series: Oscilate [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Feels, Gen, HQ Brofest Rookie Tier, Happy Ending, I Wrote This In Under A Day, I was planning to write a platonice soulmate au for iwaoi, Karasuno Family, Light Angst, No Pre-Planning, Oops, POV Third Person Limited, Wow I'm So Proud Of Myself, and, but hey, but it has a, but then it became too angsty and i wanted them to get together, google doc deleted the original alternative jfc wy, i hate google docs, i may post the iwaoi one later once i've worked out an ending, improved version of "Every Three Times", jealous tsukki is jealous, so that story won't be published, teen for swearing, that's why it's called "Alternative", there is a little
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-05-01
Packaged: 2018-10-22 06:14:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10691400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxELF21xx/pseuds/xxELF21xx
Summary: Kei learns, in high school, about sharing and how to be part of a team.(Also called "形影不离")[形影不离: xíng yǐng bù lí; inseparable as body and shadow]





	Oscilate: Alternative

**Author's Note:**

> GOOGLE DOCS DELETED THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT SO I HAD TO PULL THIS STORY OUT OF MY ASS AT 1207 AM I'M SO SORRY UGH. 
> 
> I might rewrite the original Alternative work if I have time:(
> 
> Un'beta-d, if there are mistakes, please do let me know!!!

**Oscilate: Alternative**

 

There is something about high school Kei dislikes. A  _lot_ of somethings, actually, and one of them is the need to  _share friends._ Why can't people just leave Yamaguchi _alone?_ Tanaka and Noya hoard Yamaguchi during practice, they sit apart during class, and hardly get to interact with each other during their free time because the other first years are _assholes_ and take Yamaguchi away from Kei during lunch and homework is annoying and gets in the way of their time. 

It wasn't like this in junior high or elementary school. Yamaguchi was  _Kei's_ friend since forever, and nobody else had the right to take him away. So yes, Kei was childish, what can anyone do about that? 

Later, when the first years are more familiar with each other, Yamaguchi talks, and talks, and  _talks_ about them. How Hinata is so kind and naive, Kageyama slowly overcoming his social awkwardness. Kei does not care. But he doesn't tell Yamaguchi.

And after that, Kei gets roped into that weird group, getting along tersely with the others. The volleyball club crowds into his life, pouring unnecessary drama and idiocies into his line of vision. Yet, the strange sensation of being drowned stays, even when is chattering and so, so _happy._ Kei feels so out of place it hurts. But Yamaguchi is there, and he's  _brilliant_ with them; improving at rates unbelievable.

Kei is suddenly afraid that he would lose his only and best friend in the group. 

But the first time Kei asks if Yamaguchi had gotten tired of their friendship, just before InterHigh, Yamaguchi had freaked out and demanded to know what he (Yamaguchi) had done to make Kei hate him. Kei had shook his head and replied, 'I was just asking.' Yamaguchi deflated, relieved, and smiled, 'I won't ever leave.' Kei looks on, ignoring the other boy, and gulps.

'And what if I want you to leave?' Yamaguchi frowns at the question, eyes steely, 'you'll have to drag my dead body away from you.' 

Kei drops the topic. He doesn't like the look in Yamaguchi's eyes, those eyes should not be so tough and brittle.

-+-

Then, Yamaguchi develops a crush on Yachi Hitoka and gets closer to the freak pair.  

Yamaguchi would not  _stop_ talking about them, every night when they return home, he will blabber on and on about what Yachi said, how Hinata has gotten better and the funnily-awkward situations Kageyama gets himself caught in. Kei enjoys the stories, really, but it also stresses him out because they don't talk like "Tsukishima and Yamaguchi" anymore. Yamaguchi uses much more expressions that are lost on Kei, and Kei's answers do not get relayed to Yamaguchi like they used to.

 _We're growing distant._ Kei thinks, but Yamaguchi grins and asks to eat dinner at Kei's place. They spend the entire night re-establishing "Tsukishima and Yamaguchi". And Kei forces Yamaguchi to create a master plan called "How To Confess to Yachi Hitoka", it was written in a dinosaur-themed notebook with crude drawings supplied by Yamaguchi. They also talk about forming a study group to help the idiot pair keep their studies afloat. InterHigh was over, they lost to Aoba Josai, and mid-year exams loom over all of them. Hinata and Kageyama are basically failing every class, and if they want to participate in the joint training camp, they _need_ to pass  _all_ their exams. Besides, Kei has learnt to tolerate them, at best. And helping them would mean spending time with Yamaguchi, which was a win-win situation.

Kei doesn't tell Yamaguchi that Suga-san pressured him into helping.

-+-

Yamaguchi confesses, and is rejected kindly. Yachi claims that she isn't ready to commit to anyone yet, and Yamaguchi says he's relieved he got rejected because hanging out with the first years would be awkward if they broke up. 

Kei isn't sure what to say, but agrees with Kageyama's "this group can never be more awkward than it is now".

He is also relieved because it means that Yamaguchi isn't going to leave him and prioritise someone else.

-+-

The training camp was hell. They lose every game, and Kei is pretty sure everyone in the team — save for himself — are masochists. Yamaguchi laughs it off and says that it was a nice change or training regime. Kuroo and Bokuto are also problems, those two  _refuse_ to leave Kei alone. 

'So. . . .' Bokuto drawls, and Kei sees Akaashi drop everything in his arms and dash straight for the albino, 'is Yamaguchi your boyfriend or something?' Akaashi shrieks a  _"Bokuto-san, no!"_ and Kei feels his eyelids twitch irritably. Kuroo leers from the net, eyebrows raised in a mocking manner. 

Kei smiles, plastic in nature, 'are you dating Kozume-san, Kuroo-san?' Kuroo's mouth falls open and Kozume rolls his eyes. Bokuto whips around to face Kuroo so fast Kei was sure he'd gotten whiplash, and yells,  _'dude!_ You're dating Kenma?!' Akaashi pulls Bokuto out of the gym as the third-year yells about it being his "God-given right to know such stuff!" Kei takes the chance to disappear.

The next day, Kozume drifts up next to him during breakfast and murmurs uncertainly, 'Kuroo says he's sorry. And no, we're not dating, that's like incest.' Kei raises his eyebrow, 'I don't think Kuroo-san said the last part.' Kozume just shrugs lazily and returns to his table where Kuroo was busy piling food onto Kozume's tray. 

Yamaguchi frowns in question when Kei sits down, Kei merely shrugs. Yamaguchi then smiles and continues talking to Kei about the extra practises he's been getting.

That night, Kei and Yamaguchi fight for the first time since they knew each other. 'It's just a club,' Kei sneers, 'it won't help you when you're applying for a job. "I worked really hard in my club", is that it?' 

Yamaguchi's rage is evident and  _scary,_ 'what the  _hell_ happened to  _pride?!_ Are you just going to stay there forever? Everyone else is- they're getting  _better,_ Tsukki,' Kei has never heard his nickname be said in such a cruel tone before, 'and yet, you're stuck here! Why? Is it- '

'Are you going to leave?' Kei blurts, and Yamaguchi's hold on his shirt tightens, pulling their faces centimetres apart. His eyes are fiery and a bright green, his freckles are illuminated like constellations under the scarce moonlight. 'I told you,  _fuck no._ I'm never leaving. Not before, not now, not  _ever.'_ His answer is so quick and the ice cold grip on his heart crackles and melts. 'All I want is for you to be  _better._ Besides, what's more important than your pride?!'

It was the first time Kei had ever seen Yamaguchi dare to speak against him. 

'I'd never thought there might be a day where you'd be so  _cool,_ Yamaguchi.' Kei laughs, and the clouds pull away to reveal the moon, which lights up Yamaguchi's face of shock and embarrassment. 'I-I-'m sorry!' Kei refuses to accept that and walks off, mulling over Yamaguchi's words. 

I won't change for myself, he thinks, I'll change for  _Yamaguchi._

-+-

Yamaguchi's expression when he notices Kei's change confirms the hypothesis that Yamaguchi is worth _everything._

-+-

They win Nationals. Them,  _Karasuno._

Karasuno  _won._

Kei feels Yamaguchi cry into his shoulder, and he instinctively wraps his arms around him. 'You did it, Yamaguchi Tadashi,' he soothes, 'your pinch serve won us the Nationals.' Yamaguchi cries even harder, and the team pins them together in a big hug. 

The third years are ugly criers, Kei thinks again. Yachi has collapsed onto the floor and has her notebook to her face, crumpled and wet. Kiyoko is no better, her frame trembling as she sits on the bench hunched over.

 _They'd won._  

Kei thinks it's all that matters. Playing volleyball with the team, against teams that are annoyingly strong. There is a place for him on this team, and his warms.

 _I've turned into a masochist,_ he thinks to himself, smile on his face.

-+-

This means the third years are going to leave, isn't it?

-+-

The third years promise to drop by whenever they have spare time, and Kei feels like he's lost something; his heart is heavy and the ice is creeping around his heart.

'You aren't going to leave, right?' 

'No, Tsukki, I'm not going anywhere.'

-+-

Their second year in Karasuno brings fresh talents in, and Kei feels like Yamaguchi and him have some sort leverage over the first years. Ennoshita, as the new captain, has given them full permission to attack the first years with vigourous training to prepare them for the practice match against Shiratorizawa. Yamaguchi laughs and tells him, 'you're a sadist, Tsukki.' He merely smirks and glances at the gym doors, ready to stop any of Shiratorizawa's spikes. 'Pity Ushiwaka isn't here any longer.' Yamaguchi pales and he glances at Kei's fingers. The abrasions are still there. 'I wanted to give him some payback.'

In the end, both schools tie. Kei "tsk"s, annoyed that Shiratorizawa wasn't trashed, and Narita only says, 'we can't expect to beat them again; their playing strategy's changed.' And it's true, Shiratorizawa has weak-looking players on their team, and they pull off more feints than just attacking with full force. 'The all-alphas' evolving, huh? We should start that too. I have a game plan,' Tanaka grins darkly, and the first-years shiver in their shoes. 

They best Aoba Josai for the representative position, who had triumphed Shiratorizawa in a previous match, and go onto Nationals again. 

They come in second place, which is a pity because that one point should have gone to them; but Nekoma are tricky bastards. Yamaguchi's serve was used against him. 'Next year,' Hinata swears darkly, expression dark, 'next year we'll beat you.' Lev smirks and rattles out a tired "next year". 

The third years are going to leave. 

'I won't leave.' Yamaguchi promises on their way home. Kei glances at him, to find the other boy dead asleep on his shoulder, a small smile on his lips. He's thankful, for this new team, this new-ish family and Yamaguchi being there. 

-+-

'Oh  _God._ We're gonna be  _third_ years soon!' Hinata cries, Kageyama giving a troubled expression.

Ennoshita claps Kageyama's back good-naturedly, 'I'm counting on you, captain.'

Kei has never seen Kageyama waste milk before, and it was rather hilarious.

-+-

They are third years now, Kageyama is Captain, along with Hinata as Vice-Captain. 

Yamaguchi has become everyone's favourite senior, and Kei is known to be the senior everyone respects but also feared. Kei is quite satisfied with the title, he doesn't feel like interacting with the first years, only a small number show potential. Kageyama seems to agree, because he'd kicked three quarters of the first years out under the terms of not being serious enough. The previous two batches of seniors approved of the decision. 

They play against Jozenji, and Wakunan South, and Tokonami. Tokonami has improved vastly, leaving Daichi  _—_ who attends with the other third years and his friend from junior high — stunned. They win against all of them, and Kei feels a course of electricity run through him. He wants to  _win,_ he wants to leave the club without regrets.

This time, neither Aoba Josai nor Shiratorizawa battles them for the title as Representative. It is Dateko.

It was a grueling four hour match, but in the end, one of Yamaguchi's pinch servers landed a perfect service ace, and they'd won the ticket to Nationals. Their seniors cheer from the sidelines, and Kei can no longer feel the ice around his heart. 

Nationals are tiring. Nohebi was a jerk, a slippery school that has endless tricks up their sleeves. But they get caught for their last trick, disqualifying them and crowning Nekoma the Tokyo Representative. The Battle of the Garbage Dump commences for the second time in a row, and Karasuno wins, by a margin. 

For the last time, Yamaguchi's serve had helped them.

Kei feels a lump in his throat. This is the _last_ time he'll play in this court, with this team. Everything's over, they've  _won._ Nationals are  _over,_ and this team will _never_  be in his life anymore. Tears slip and he takes off his goggles and he crashes into his team.  _His_ team. His family. Everyone is present, Daichi, Suga-san, Asahi-san, Tanaka, Noya-san, Ennoshita, Narita and Kinoshita. His family is _here._

And he's about to leave them.

But the ice doesn't capture him, there is a warmth blossoming in his chest and he knows he'll be happy to graduate from the volleyball club.

Yamaguchi looks at him, green eyes shining with pride and happiness, and he opens his mouth; but Kei cuts him off. 

_'I know. I know you won't leave. Thank you, Yamaguchi.'_

**Author's Note:**

> I'm available on [Tumblr](http;//hunkjasontodd.tumblr.com). Come chat with me:) 
> 
> [HQBROFEST's Tumblr](https://hqbrofest.tumblr.com/)!


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